The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-17
BUDA-PESTH.
Scenes in the Picturesque Capital of
Hungary-A Dual City.

There are few cities in Europe so pre-
possessing as Buda- Pesth, writes cor
respondent of The San Francisco
Chronicle. On the right, as you come
down the Danube, is the long line of
steep hills, the slopes and heights of
which are covered or crowned by Buda,
the ancient fortress occupied so long
by the Turks; the royal chateau built
by Maria Theresa and occasionally &C.
cupicd by the emperor, and little fur
Their down. on an elevation, part ally
detached, the huge fortress that now
defends the city. Pesth is on the left,
spreading out vast network OF streets
and places over broad plain bounded
by groves and low hills that appear in
the distance. All the life. the activity,
the commerce. and nearly all the pop
ulation in PesthBuda sleeps and
dreams on its sunny slopes among
its vineyards, and about its for
tresses and castles that keep ever
watchful eve on the historic river and
its busy, bustling better half opposite.
Buda was formerly, and is still. by a
portion of the population, called Ofen
(stove or oven). Whether it was be-
cause of the summer heat do not know,
but the locality is decidedly warm IN
midsummer, and even TIL late in the
fall, though fresh breeze sweeps at
night up and down the Danube.
The name of Buda goes before that of
Pesth. Royalty precedes the proletar-
lat. Ii is the most pertinent modern
example that know of the tail wag-
ging the dog. Nevertheless the two
places go well together. Business
brings everybody to Pesth. Even the
tourist bent only on pleasure is obliged
to make h home there, for it has all
the fine hotels. But it is pleasant to
have a retreat like Buda so near. You
have only to cross one of the three
monumental bridges and you run
against the hillside, covered all the
way to the castle summit with trees.
Up this steep ascent you wind slowly
by geometrcal paths, stopping occa-
sionally to rest on the friendly benches
that occur from time to time on the
little terraces along the route. IL one
does not wish to walk he takes a car on
an inclined railroad, some hundred
yards in length, that mounts at an
angle of forty-five degrees. 1t is ar
ranged on the well.bucket principle
one car mounting while another de-
sends the power being regulated by
4 steam engine. There are two classes,
each having an end of the vehicle, and
paying respectively for the round trip
6 and 8 kreutzers q! and trifle over
cents) There is also splendid
tunnel, giving access to the part of the
city beyond the hill to traverse which
costs a pedestrian 2 kreutzers. 1t Is
built on the principle of the egg.shell,
which is supposed to comb ne the
greatest amount of strength with the
highest degree of convenience to the
hem Cut off the tip of the large end
of an egg-shell about half way to the
bulge, set the shell upright on the end
thus abbreviated, and you have an idea
of the arch of the great Buda tunnel,
which has been made merely as a
matter of nun cipal convenience. Its
engineer certainly had an idea of what
was at onc5 strong and graceful. Re
garded us work Of public benefit, 1t
shows an active and enterprising
people.
Ii Is interesting to know that here, as
ut Vienna, the greater part of the fine
buildings, aside from those that are
strictly of public character. have been
built BY Jews. Those in the Radial-
strasse, for instance. one of the finest
streets in Europe, are said to be nearly
all so built and owned. They are large
structures, built of a handsome light
colored stone, with facades Of elegant
design and represent the best ideas OF
modern architecture. The street is it.
self broad and well paved. The shops
are externally attractive, II not always
as well supplied as those Of Vienna or
of Paris. and the cafes are numerous
and well-appointed. The handsomest
bu lding on tn fine thoroughfare is the
opera-house. only second to those OF
Vienna and Paris. The intimate associa-
on of the Jews with so much that is
rich and beautiful in Europe Is one Of
the mysteries of modern progress.
Primarily it comes through the mercan-
tile quality. They have the money.
That they see fit to spend it in beautify-
ing the cities Of their birth or adoption
is to their credit. especially when. as in
this case, they antic pate the growth oil
the city and can not possibly at once
realize on their investments.